THE SUTRA SAYS, "IF THERE ARE BHIKSHUS, BHIKSHUNIS, UPASAKAS, UPASIKAS, GOOD MEN OR GOOD WOMEN WHO WISH TO RECITE AND BEAR IN MIND THIS MANTRA AND TO BRING FORTH A HEART OF KINDNESS AND COMPASSION FOR ALL LIVING BEINGS, THEY SHOULD FIRST FOLLOW ME IN MAKING THESE VOWS":

NAMO AVALOKITESVARA MAHAKARUNIKAYA, I VOW TO HASTEN TOWARDS ALL DHARMAS.

NAMO AVALOKITESVARA MAHAKARUNIKAYA, I VOW TO SOON OBTAIN THE WISDOM-EYE.

NAMO AVALOKITESVARA MAHAKARUNIKAYA, I VOW TO HASTEN CROSSING OVER ALL LIVING BEINGS.

NAMO AVALOKITESVARA MAHAKARUNIKAYA, I VOW TO OBTAIN GOOD SKILL-IN-MEANS SOON.

The Great Avalokitesvara GathaO Bodhisattva, Encompassing and Discerning One,A descent of the Seven Precious Tree Grove,With marvelous true visage of a Thousand Hands and Eyes, Majestically enthroned in the Potala Palace,Amrita sprinkled from a willow sprig,Universally dispersing in various lands, favouring all,Astride thousand billowing waves, His wonders manifest,Descending resplendently on the Assembly!Astride thousand billowing waves, His wonders manifest,Descending resplendently on the Assembly!

Praise to Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva (1)Avalokitesvara's Vows, Inconceivable and WonderfulResponding and Arising promptlyRescuing and hearing the suffering, as magnet attracts iron Teaching Dharma and manifesting like a pond's lunar reflection Innumerable Lands and Countries are all thriving In Saha World too, He showers blessing Vast Benevolence exceeds praise in all AeonsOur hope for mercy and protection for all beingsHomage! One of Lapis Lazuli Potala’s Summit, Greatly Merciful and Compassionate, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva.Namo Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva (recite while circumnabulating)

Praise to Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva (3)Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, marvelous, arduous in restitution,Adorned with clear purity, in aeons of cultivation,Thirty-two transformations, manifesting in infinite realms,Teaching in Jambudvipa, for immeasurable time,Cleansing ceaselessly with the immortal amrita in the vase, A willow sprig in His hand, in innumerable autumns,Aspirations of thousand hearts, a thousand hearts fulfilled,Navigating in oceanwide sufferings, traversing people across.Homage! One of Lapis Lazuli Potala’s Summit, Greatly Merciful and Compassionate, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva.Namo Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva (recite while circumnabulating)

Bowing Gatha to AvalokitesvaraAvalokitesvara, Great Master, whose Name permeates universally,Of Twelve Great and Significant Vows,Conveying the addled across suffering's ocean,Redeeming the distressed by perceiving their sounds, Nowhere is devoid of His Presence.Namo Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva Mahasattva (bowing thrice)

An excerpt from Fo Guang Shan's 'The Great Compassion Repentance'Sincerely we repent. Your disciple (your name) and beings in all realms,

within their present mind contain the multitude of phenomena, miraculous powers and bright wisdom, and are equal to both the Buddhas above, and sentient beings below.

Yet due to ignorance since the infinite past, which obstructs this serene light, we generate delusions in the world, and our minds are bound with the cords of craving. Although all phenomena are equal, we conceptualize self and others.

Desire and views are the root, and the body is a condition for this. In the midst of existence, there is no crime we have not committed, such as the ten evil acts and the five atrocities, slandering the Dharma and defaming others, violating morality and the precepts, desecrating stupas and destroying temples, stealing from the Sangha, corrupting others’ pure practice, ruining public property, food and drink. Thousands of Buddhas may come and go, but our offences would never be repented. Our transgressions are boundless.

On the point of death, we shall fall into the three lower realms and suffer endlessly. Even while alive, there will be much distress, sickness and cruel pains, which hinder our cultivation, and obstruct our cultivation.

Now we have encountered the complete and full Dharani of Great Compassion, which can swiftly extinguish all such obstacles and offences. Therefore we shall now sincerely recite the Dharani.

We pray that most compassionate Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva Mahasattva, guard us with Your Thousand Arms and illuminate us with Your Thousand Eyes.

May all internal and external hindrances be eliminated. All pledges and practices for the self and others can be completed. We will see our true natures and realize all wisdom. We will conquer all evils and diligently purify the three karmas.

Let us take refuge in Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva and all Great Masters. Aspire to Bodhicitta, and practice the cultivation of mantras. Together with all beings, we admit our many faults and sincerely beg for forgiveness.

Our sins will be eliminated. By cultivating the causes for the Pure Land, on abandoning this body we shall never be born in any other realm, but will certainly be reborn in Amitabha Buddha’s Land of Ultimate Bliss.

We make offerings to the most compassionate Avalokitesvara in person, to learn the core of the Dharma and help deliver all beings from the painful wheel of rebirth, into the land of wisdom.

Now that we have completed the Repentance and pledges, we shall take refuge and prostrate to the Triple Gem.

GlossaryAvalokiteśvarā: Lord who gazes downward. The name Avalokites(h)vara is made of four parts: the verbal prefix ''ava'', which means "down"; the noun "loka", which means "the world"; the suffix ''ita'', which changes the verb ''avalok'' into a noun, "one who looks upon the world"; and finally "īśvarā", means "lord" or "master". In accordance with the Sandhi (rules of sound combination), īś(h)vara becomes ''es(h)vara''. The four parts combined mean, "Lord who gazes downward". (ref: http://vedabase.net/sanskrit/a/avalokite & http://vedabase.net/sanskrit/i/isvara)

Arhat: A term used primarily in Theravada Buddhism to signify a person who has fulfilled its ultimate goal, the attainment of nirvana. Upon death, the arhat will become extinguished. The arhat, as an individual, has attained full enlightenment, peace and freedom.Cale, pracale: cala/cale, means move, go; pra, means before, in front. Pra-cali means move on, depart.Cite: from citta; jāla, means web, net. Cite jāla, "web of mind".

Citta (Skt., Pali), Mind, according to many schools, the mind in its natural state is intrinscially luminous (citta-prakṛti-prabhāsvara), free from all attachments and conceptualizing, and thus is empty (śūnya) in nature. In early Buddhism and present-day Theravāda, it is regarded as virtually synonymous with vijñāna (consciousness) and manas (intellect) but in later schools of Budddism it is distinguished from those two. It is defined as the cognitive ground underlying the dynamic system of psychological operations (caitta). In this latter sense, some Mahāyāna and tantric authorities understand citta as equivalent to bodhicitta (thought of awakening), and hold that when the natural state of mind is obscured by the false split into a preceiving subject and perceived object, the everyday mind, which is a fragmentation of its nature state, arises.

Oṃ ... svāhā!: In a vedic mantra literally, om (Aham,"I am"), sva-aha (sva "self" -aha "spoken") ie. "Om....svaha" means "I am......self-spoken!". It means much more in Buddhism such as: O Lord, adoration, oneness with the Supreme, merging of the physical being with the spiritual, take refuge in, greeting, so be it, all hail! auspiciously completed, amen.

"Every person whose heart is moved by love and compassion, who deeply and sincerely acts for the benefit of others without concern for fame, profit, social position, or recognition expresses the activity of Chenrezig."

1. Adoration to the Triratna2. Emancipation of Dharmaraja and beings in the avici hell3. Emancipation of hungry ghosts in the sucimukha hell4. Genesis of Mahesvara and other gods5. Redemption of all kinds of sentient beings6. Enlightening the demons7. Emancipation of adhomukha beings8. Emancipation of quadrupeds and humans9. Enlightening Bali the king of demons10. Redemption of yakshas and demons11. Emancipation of Sukundala the Prince of Suddhavasika Gods12. Redemption of demonesses of the Simhala Island13. Redemption of beings born as worms and insects in Varanasi14. Enlightening the inhabitants of Magadha15. Obeisance to Vishvabhu Buddha at Jetavana16. Saving the merchants on their voyage to Simhala17. Om mani padme hum and enlightening Mahesvara and Uma18. Merits of propagating the Karanda-vyuha19. Instrucions in moral conduct 20. Glorification of the Karanda-vyuha

Lord AvalokiteshvaraI take refuge in you, and in all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in all realmsI take refuge in you, in your boundless compassion, wisdom and peaceI take refuge in you, and in the fundamental Buddha-nature within

I take refuge in you, my heart’s core, my beloved, my teacherI take refuge in you, as you embrace me, as you shine through meI take refuge in you, as you lead me again and again to the other shore

Taking refuge in you, may I set upright all that I have overturnedTaking refuge in you, may I hold a lamp high in the darknessTaking refuge in you, may I carry compassion to all beings

I take refuge in Buddha-natureI take refuge in the path of liberationI take refuge in the great Bodhisattva way